Servings
Font
Back
0 from 9 votes

Baked Falafel With Canned Chickpeas

This easy baked falafel recipe with canned chickpeas is the ultimate healthy convenience meal. Serve these gluten-free, vegan falafel with pita bread, salad or as a snack with tahini sauce.This falafel recipe makes roughly 15 baked falafel.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 262 kcal
Course: Appetizer , Snacks
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients

  • ½ cup sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans) , drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup diced onion* , about ½ whole onion
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil , for brushing the falafel
To serve (optional)
  • Lemon Tahini Sauce

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F. And line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Add the sunflower seeds, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, Aleppo pepper flakes and salt to a food processor. Blitz until the sunflower seeds break into smaller pieces, but the mixture is still very coarse – about 10 seconds.
  3. Use a clean kitchen towel and dab the drained chickpeas to remove excess moisture. Then add them to the food processor bowl along with the diced onion, minced garlic, lemon juice, chickpea flour and baking powder. Pulse until there are no whole chickpeas left. But don’t overprocess it – we’re not making hummus here. The texture should be coarse and chunky, but the mixture should hold together when pressed into a ball.
  4. Scoop 2 tablespoons of falafel mixture (about 30 grams) and roll it into golf ball-sized balls with lightly oiled hands. Gently flatten them into small patties (about ½ inch thick). Then smooth the rough edges until you have a uniform disk.
  5. Brush both sides of the falafel with olive oil. Then place them, evenly spaced, on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until firm to the touch with a cracked golden top and deeper brown bottom. Allow the falafel to rest for 5 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet.

Notes

  • The can of chickpeas I used for the final recipe testing had a drained chickpea weight of 255 grams (9 ounces or about 1½ cups). You can weigh your chickpeas to follow the recipe precisely, but a few extra chickpeas won't be a problem.
  • I dice my onions into medium-sized pieces (around ½ inch) because I love larger bits of onion in my baked falafel – the exposed bits of onion on the outside of the falafel caramelise beautifully. Go for a small dice if you want a more uniform falafel instead of relying on the food processor to break them down – overprocessing in the food processor will result in mushy falafel.
  • This recipe is for baked falafel using canned chickpeas. If you prefer deep-fried falafel (the traditional way), use dried chickpeas soaked overnight. See this recipe for authentic Middle Eastern falafel.
  • Refrigerate leftover falafel in an airtight container for up to 3 days. And reheat in an oiled skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side. See the full blog post for freezing instructions.

Nutrition Information

Calories 262kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 26g (9%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Monounsaturated Fat 6g Sodium 651mg (27%) Potassium 402mg (11%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 491IU (10%) Vitamin C 9mg (10%) Calcium 96mg (10%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 262

% Daily Value*

Calories 262kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 26g 9%
Protein 10g 20%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Monounsaturated Fat 6g 30%
Sodium 651mg 27%
Potassium 402mg 9%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 491IU 10%
Vitamin C 9mg 10%
Calcium 96mg 10%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.